Cooper Dejean. Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Eagles’ rookie draws comparison to three-time All-Pro CB

By Michael Gallagher | Last updated 5/2/24

When the Philadelphia Eagles traded up in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft to pick Iowa cornerback Cooper DeJean, many lauded them for landing one of the steals of the draft.

DeJean was considered a first-round talent by many scouts and mock drafters but ultimately fell to Round 2 because of some lingering injury issues that scared some teams away.

But if the 6-foot-1, 203-pound defensive back ends up finding a fraction of the success of the player Yahoo Sports’ Nate Tice compared him to — Miami Dolphins cornerback Jalen Ramsey — it’s safe to say the Eagles will have made one of the better draft picks of 2024.

“DeJean is one of the toughest players to find a comp for,” Tice said, via NBC Sports. “Ramsey was more of a can’t-miss prospect but his versatility and ability to play safety were selling points that landed him in the top five back in 2016. DeJean is just a tick below in both size and athleticism. … Ramsey ran a 4.41 to DeJean’s 4.44.”

"Cooper DeJean is a playmaker and he has elite football instincts..

You've seen him do it in clutch moments and it was important for us to get that guy"

Howie Roseman #PMSLive https://t.co/mdRnzI4Oe1 pic.twitter.com/vN443SO7Ys
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) May 2, 2024

A three-time All-Pro and seven-time Pro Bowlers, Ramsey has been one of the NFL’s best defensive backs for the last eight years. The 29-year-old CB has 97 career pass break ups and 22 interceptions, and he’s allowed 27 touchdown catches and a completion percentage of just 57.2, per Pro Football Focus.

DeJean put up equally dominant numbers at Iowa, surrendering zero touchdowns and 194 yards on just 20 receptions allowed with a completion percentage against of just 43.5, per PFF.

“Where the comp loses a little steam is Ramsey’s length,” Tice added. “He uses his nearly 33.5-inch arms to control opposing receivers. DeJean’s arms are two inches shorter, but both are physical in nature and have a penchant for forcing turnovers.”

Because of that length, Ramsey is better able to win contested catches than DeJean. Per their NFL Combine measurements, Ramsey also has the higher vertical leap (41.5 inches to 38.5) and broad jump (11 feet, 3 inches to 10 feet, 4 inches).

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